aris. In the case of the Astiers the return home was very
characteristic. The moment they were alone the wife laid aside the
deference and pretended interest exhibited towards the Master in
society, and spoke her mind, compensating herself in so doing for the
attention with which she had listened for the hundredth time to old
stories which bored her to death. The husband, kindly by disposition and
accustomed to think well of himself and everyone else, invariably came
home in a state of bliss, and was horrified at the malicious comments of
his wife on their hosts and the guests they had met. Madame Astier would
utter calmly the most shocking accusations, exaggerating gossip in
the light unconscious way which is characteristic of Parisian society.
Rather than stimulate her he would hold his tongue and turn round in
his corner to take a little doze. But on this evening Leonard sat down
straight, regardless of the sharp 'Do mind my dress!' which showed that
somebody's skirts were being crumpled. What did he care about her dress?
'I've been robbed!' he said, in such a tone that the windows rattled.

Oh dear, the autographs! She had not been thinking of them, least of
all just now, when tormented by very different anxieties, and there was
nothing feigned in her surprise.

Robbed--yes, robbed of his 'Charles-the-Fifths,' the three best things
in his collection! But the assurance which made his attack so violent
died out of his voice, and his suspicion hesitated, at the sight of
Adelaide's surprise. Meanwhile she recovered her self-possession.
'But whom do you suspect?' Corentine, she thought, was trustworthy.
Teyssedre? It was hardly likely that an ignorant----

Teyssedre! He exclaimed at it, the thing seemed so obvious. Helped by
his hatred for the man of polish, he soon began to see how the crime had
come about, and traced it step by step from a chance allusion at dinner
to the value of his documents, heard by Corentine and repeated in all
innocence. Ah, the scoundrel! Why, he had the skull of a criminal!
Foolish to struggle against the intimations of instinct! There must
be something out of the common, when a floor-polisher could arouse so
strange an antipathy in a member of the Institute! Ah, well, the dolt
was done for now! He should catch it! 'My three Charleses! Only fancy!'
He wanted to inform the police at once, before going home. His
wife tried to prevent him. 'Are you out of your mind? Go to the
police-station aft